you looking for a ball for lower volume patters or a ball for later in blocks when just about everything in your bag is too strong?  Get this Soul Mate.  This ball is comparable to the ringer platinum but for me it was a little longer and it was stronger down lane.  This ball hits extremely well for being a low range ball.  This ball will be good for anyone of as skill levels.  I used it on a THS and struck for days.  With most lower end balls for me when I would miss in the oil the, balls would never pick up and flat 10 all day.  This new Soul Mate will hook in oil and carry that 10 pin. 

BALL SPECS

Ball 1:

Pin Length: 2.5


Starting Top Weight: 3.1 oz


Ball Weight: 15 lbs 3 oz


Ball 2:

Pin Length: 3.5


Starting Top Weight: 2.8 oz


Ball Weight: 15 lbs 4 oz



DRILL PATTERNS


Ball 1: 60 x 5 x 75

Ball 2: 60 x 5 x 35


X Hole (if there is one): No x holes



BOWLER STYLE


Rev Rate: 375 rpms


Ball Speed:17.5 mph



PAP/Track: 4 3/4 over 3/4 up



SURFACE PREP


Grit:

Ball 1: 4000 Siaair with polish


Ball 2: 2000 Siaair


Type: (Matte, Polish, Sanded): One polished and one smooth



LANE CONDITIONS


Lengths of patterns: 41 foot house shot and 32 foot Wolf



Volumes:  moderate



Type: house and sport




BALL REACTION


Length: Clean through the heads with a strong move at the breakpoint


Back End: angular


Overall Hook: moderately strong with a strong backend move


Midlane Read: very late, the ball saves its motion for the backend


Breakpoint Shape: skid/flip



COMMENTS


Likes: strength, length, angularity, and value


Dislikes: none

The Soul Mate is the newest longer later hooking ball in the Affordable line.  In this case, as with all the releases in this series, affordable hardly means weak.  The Soul Mate is a stronger version of the Ringer Platinum.  It makes a more violent move at the break point than its predecessor, while getting a little better length through the front.  I will use this ball when I need length and balls like the Mastermind Scholar and the Intrigue are starting up a little to soon.  I have found that this ball works well while keeping my angles closed and going up the lane and continues to work just as well while I move in and open them.  The Soul Mate also takes surface adjustments very well.  I have decided to keep one of them shiny for length and control and one a little duller for that sure read at the break point as I move inside and get around the ball.  The Soul Mate should get a good bit of use for me and players like myself with slower speed.  If you are looking for a ball with above average length and great recovery down lane the Soul Mate will be a great mate for you!

LANE CONDITION

Length: 40 ft.

Volume: 29 mls

Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS


COMMENTS
Layout: Pin 4.5" from PAP and just under the fingers, with X-hole next to thumb (Double thumb).

Dislikes: At first this ball was just doing nothing for me.  Extreme over/under, and after about 6 games I was thinking "dry lane ball only".  Then my brain finally kicked in and I removed a little gloss with a 2000 pad and it came to life for me!

Likes:  Even with a little shine removed, the ball is still easy to play straight up the outside except it that turns way more consistently for me without the high gloss finish.  Actually a little stronger than I expected, but just the way I like it.  After a few shots it reminded me of the Platinum Ringer, except maybe slightly more angular late. 

Excellent companion to the Soul, because I can play the same area, but with two different shapes once they hit friction, with the Soul being slightly more smooth.
I suspect that many bowlers will need a similar tweak to the cover that I did because it literally changed my whole view of the ball.  The colors are a definite plus, and the ball looks good to the eye on the lane. 

There is no relation between price point and reaction/performance here.  The Soul Mate and Soul both consistently outperform balls with much higher price tags.  Nice job Brunswick!


PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS

Length: 42 ft and 32 ft

Volume: 21-25ml

Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): Both THS and Sport (PBA Wolf)

I drilled both this and the Black Soul with a RICO layout. I really wanted to compare these side by side and put a layout I don't typically use on them. I am extremely impressed with both bowling balls. The Soul Mate reads much cleaner than the Black Soul. I find myself using this on game 3 house shot conditions and shorter sport patterns. I would normally reserve a stronger ball with a shorter Pin to PAP layout for Wolf or similar patterns, but I am finding success with the RICO layout on this ball. It smooths out the backend motion and gives it a ton of hitting power going through the pin deck. This easily filled the spots that my Burgundy and Platinum Ringer used to have in my bag.

LANE CONDITION

Length:
Medium Length - 40'

Volume:

Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc):
Broken down Kegel Challenge and house patterns


COMMENTS

Likes:
I have found the Brunswick Soul Mate to be an excellent complement to the Brunswick Soul. This ball picks up where the Soul leaves off and is often a go to ball late in the block. As compared to the Soul, the Soul Mate is a couple of boards weaker and a little longer down lane. But, the same characteristics of clean through the fronts with solid mid-lane read is preserved in this offering. Combined, the two balls make a great 1 - 2 combination and are excellent utility balls making them great additions to anyone's lineup. Don't overlook either of these, they are a tremendous value at this price point.

Dislikes:
None

PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS

LANE CONDITION

Length: 40

Volume: Medium

Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS


COMMENTS
Bowler: Lefty, high ball speed, high Rev rate

Drilling: pin down, 1/4 inch below middle finger

The Soul Mate is in the affordable line of Brunswick balls but offers much more than what your would think. It compliments the Soul beautifully when the soul becomes just to much.

My personal experience with the Soul Mate was very positive. It fit in my bag as the lowest in aggression which was exactly what I wanted. It was not a benchmark ball for me but it was great after two to three games when the midlands dried up. It would glide effortlessly down lane and save a fair amount of punch when it got to the pins.

Likes: Low aggression. Later on in a tournament, it shined. It would take a lot of breakdown to make it check up early

Dislikes: None

Owen Darby
Brunswick Advisory Staff

PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS

BRUNSWICK SOUL MATE REVIEW

James Goulding III
Brunswick Ball Tester
Left Handed
350 RPM
PAP: 4 5/8” x 0”
17* Tilt
18.0 – 18.5 MPH

Brunswick Soul Mate
Layout: 4 5/8” x 64*, pin under grip center
X-hole: ¾” wide x 2.5” deep, 2” down VAL

Review:

40ft. House Pattern, Medium-Heavy Blend

I drilled the Soul Mate pin under to be a smooth, yet longer version of the Soul, and that’s exactly what I ended up getting with this ball. Using this ball on fresh THS is great, especially when I have room left to wheel it off of, as it creates extra area and “miss room” on the drier boards on the outside part of the lane. Being on the left side, I am able to play straighter with less aggressive equipment while still being able to “bang on it”, which is why the Soul Mate was a perfect fit for my game. My first three game set was a 742 with games of 247, 266, 229. The ball reaction is very clean through the heads and mid lane, but still gives a strong heavy roll into the pocket. I believe the combination of the strong symmetrical motor of the Soul medium rg core, as well as the pearl cover stock, both allow this ball to achieve a more down lane type of hook, while still rolling heavy with the pin down layout, which is the type of reaction you want from a versatile pearl. As far as comparison to other equipment, I played 6 boards further left with my feet, and 5 boards further left with my eyes than with the Soul with a similar layout. I was also about 3 boards further left with my feet with the same target at the arrows as my Melee Jab, showing just how well the Soul Mate fits into the lineup.  If you’re looking for that benchmark pearl ball in your lineup, then pick up a Soul Mate.

Team USA Mexico City Oil Pattern

I was curious how the Soul Mate would handle the longer oil pattern (45ft.) that Mexico City lays down, and was actually pleasantly surprised with the results. With a 4 5/8” pin under layout, the Soul Mate starts its move early enough to give a more readable reaction on this oil pattern. If I had a long pin over layout, I don’t feel it would have given me the look I desired on this longer oil pattern, or at least I may have had to ball up to the Soul where it reads the midlane stronger. Carry percentage was the only issue on this pattern when it was fresh, but after throwing a few games, and breaking down the pattern (with the help of the Soul to burn up a spot), the Soul Mate really shined. It’s a perfect compliment to the Soul, which worked great on Mexico City until they broke down, and then I could move right to the Soul Mate and pick up where the Soul left off, playing a similar part of the lane. I shot games of 219, 228, 237 (fresh oil) and then games of 248, 237, 259 on the burn. On this pattern, I played 5 boards further left with my feet and 3 boards further left with my target than the Soul. Also, I was 2 boards further left and 1 board further left with my target than I was with the Melee Jab on Mexico City.

Team USA Los Angeles Oil Pattern

The Team USA Los Angeles oil pattern is a 36ft. pattern, which was a great test to see how the Melee Jab would react to the shorter length, and it really shined on the fresh oil. I was able to start further left, placing the ball down around 10, catching my break point at the 4 board down lane, and the ball reaction was incredible. Even as I had to move parallel inside as the oil pattern wore down, I was still able to get tremendous pin carry, which is something that many balls struggle with as you increase the angle off of your hand. I was able to play much straighter than I could with my Soul on this shorter oil pattern, and having that pearl cover stock really makes a huge difference, especially on these types of patterns. I played 6 further left with my feet and 3 further left with my target than the Soul, and I was able to play 2 further left with my feet and the same target as the Melee Jab. Overall, I was very pleased with how the Soul Mate held up on this shorter pattern. It will be the ball I start with going forward, and if they break down further I can go to my Strike King when they really break down.

Overall Impression

I would say that overall the Soul Mate is a must own for any bowler looking to add a ball that can handle a variety of lane conditions, from medium blends to shorter patterns. The cover stock is very surface adjustment friendly, so don’t be afraid to sand or polish the cover stock to your liking. This ball fits perfectly behind the Soul (aggressive) and the Melee Jab (medium oil monster) in my arsenal, and it will be in my bag for a long time. If you’re a one day a week bowler, this ball will help get you the most bang for your buck, as the pearl cover and lower rg symmetrical will widen the amount of lane conditions you can hit with one ball, especially as patterns break down. Also, if you’re the serious, competitive bowler such as me, then this ball HAS to be in your bag at all times. I can’t wait to use it on an even wider variety of flatter tournament conditions and see this ball shine. If you’re looking for your next pearl ball, or looking to fill that gap between the super aggressive stuff and the milder reacting balls, check out the Brunswick Soul Mate, you’ll be glad you did!

James Goulding III
Brunswick Ball Tester